Method and machine for constructing a rectangular sided packing around an object of any shape

ABSTRACT

Method and machine for making a rectangular-sided packing around an object having any shape. The method comprises making folds in a pre-cut and pre-marked blank of sheet material which put into final position with respect to each other four faces of the packing including two adjacent corners around a punch having the shape of the edges common to pairs of said faces. Then the punch is disengaged from the blank from one face of the blank which is not yet formed after which the object is to be packed is introduced in the blank and the remaining folds are made.

ilnited States Patent 11 1v Pillon Dec. 3, 1974 METHOD AND MACHINE FOR2,096,278 10/1937 Huebsch et a1. .0 53/34 x CONSTRUCTING A RECTANGULARSIDED graft; e: al e e er PACKING AROUND AN OBJECT OF ANY 3,530,6409/1970 Hoffmann 53/191 x SHAPE 3,531,905 10 1970 Shozo Omori 53/32 xInventor: Marcel Octave Pinon, France 3,533,207 /1970 Freemantle et a153/222 X 3,543,471 12/1970 Youngman Assigneesl fggg bgrys sqn s AgsocieteQes 3,626,819 12/1971 Hoyrup 93/51 R Embalia-Ges Moules, Sem,Mommuge both France Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee [22 i Jam 973Assistant ExaminerHorace M. Culver Attorney, Agent, or FirmSughrue,Rothwell, Mion, [21] Appl. No.. 327,909 Zinn & Macpeak [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Feb. 22, 1972 France 72.04809Method and machine for making a rectangulapsided packing around anobject having any shape. The [52] 11.8. C1 53/29, 53/ 191, 5533751575,method comprises making folds in a prewut and p [51] Int Cl B65) 5/02marked blank of sheet material which put into final [58] Field 4 191position with respect to each other four faces of the 53/l83 1 packingincluding two adjacent corners around a 93/47 51 punch having the shapeof the edges common to pairs of said faces. Then the punch is disengagedfrom the [56] References Cited blank from one face of the blank which isnot yet formed after which the object is to be packed is intro- UNITEDSTATES PATENTS duced in the blank and the remaining folds are made.1,297,748 3/1919 Streeper 913/51 R 20 Claims, 15 Drawing FiguresPATENIEDUKC 3mm sum 1 or 7 PATENTED 31974 SHEET 8 OF 7 PAIENTE' an: aim.

SHEEF 7 OF 7 m I I l I u A I I a METHOD AND MACHINE FOR CONSTRUCTING ARECTANGULAR SIDED PACKING AROUND AN ()BJECT OF ANY SHAPE The presentinvention relates to a method and machine for making a rectangular-sidedpacking around an object of any shape.

It isknown that objects to be packed do not always have an idealrectangular-sided geometric shape which enables them to be juxtaposedand stacked in larger cases also rectangular-sided. This is true inparticular of bottles, but this example is not intended to be limitame.

It has already been proposed to prepare a packet constituted by one ormore objects to be placed in a case and a filler disposed around theobject or objects so as to impart to the assembly a roughlyrectangularsided contour and then construct around this packet a case ofcardboard.

However, a drawback of this method is that the edges of therectangular-sided structure to construct around the packet of objectsare not materialized. It is therefore necessary to employ onlyrelatively flexible cardboards with the result that a case isconstructed which is lacking in stiffness. Furthermore, the edgesconstructed under these conditions may lack definiteness and thereforealso lack stiffness. The case formed may then be weak and lend itselfimperfectly to the packing of heavy objects and to the stacking of aplurality of cases one on top of the other.

An object of the present invention is to effect most of the foldscorresponding to the edges of the case to be formed about dihedralcorners so materialized that these folds are definite, well marked andrigid.

The invention provides a method for constructing a rectangular-sidedpacking around an object of any shape by folding a pre-cut andpre-marked blank of sheet material, comprising making folds which putinto final position with respect to each other four faces of the packingcomprising two adjacent corners around a punch having the shape of theedges common to pairs of said faces, disengaging the punch from theblank by a relative movement froma side of the blank which is not yetformed, introducing the object to be packed in the blank by a relativemovement, and making the remaining folds.

In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, before effecting theremaining folds there are introduced in the blank by a relative movementelongated rigid elements which are disposed in the definitive place oftwo parallel edges of one face which is not yet placed in position, andthen the folds which put thisface in definitive position are effected,the rigid elements are withdrawn from the blank and the last folds areeffected.

Thus the first folds effected are definite and rigid, since they areformed on the punch, the following folds are also definite and rigidsince they are formed in the presence of the elongated rigid elements,and, as concerns the last folds, the case has at this moment sufficientstiffness to ensure that these operations no longer jeopardize thestrength of the assembly or its appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for carrying outsaid method.

The invention provides a machine for making a rectangular-sided packingaround an object of any shape by folding a pre-cut and pre-marked blankof sheet material, said machine comprising a frame, a punch which has atleast four faces of a rectangularsided figure, said four faces includingtwo adjacent corners, a device for feeding a blank in a directionparallel to and under one of the non-parallel faces among said fourfaces of the punch, first mechanisms for folding the blank around edgescommon to pairs of said four faces, a device for relatively moving apartthe punch andthe blank, a device for feeding an object below the punch,and second mechanisms for folding the blank around complementary edgesof a rectangular-sided figure constructed on the folds made by the firstmechanisms.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe ensuing description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: 1

FIG. I is plan view of an object to be placed in a case;

FIG. 2 is diagrammatic sectional view of the object taken on line 2-2 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a pre-cut or blanked sheet of cardboard fromwhich may be formed a case by means of a method and machine according toa particular ,embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic general assembly plan view of the machineaccording to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the machine taken on line Y-Yof FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6, 7, 9 and 10 are detail sectional views of the machine shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, taken on lines 66 and 77 of FIG. 5, line 99 of FIG. 4 andline 10-10 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a detail view of the lower right part of the machine shown inFIG. 5',

FIGS. 11-13 show different stages in the forming of the case and FIG. 14is a left side view of the part of the machine shown in FIG. 13, and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the forming device at the end of thestage shown in FIG. l2.

The machine shown in FIGS. 4-10 is provided for forming a case ofcardboard or card about a packet I of objects to be packed which is,as'shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for example constituted by two superimposedtiers of bottles which are disposed in each tier in headto-toe relationon preformed interposed elements 3. Two or more tiers of interposedelements 3 loaded with bottles are then stacked so as to constitute apacket, two superimposed tiers of this packet inversely corresponding toeach other. The construction of such a packet'is the subject of FrenchPatent Application No. 72,04,810, filed by the Applicants, Feb. 14,I972.

The pre-cut or blanked sheet of cardboard or blank 4 shown in FIG. 3 hasa generally rectangular shape and comprises a continuous centre stripconstituted by five adjoining rectangular surfaces 5-9, the firstsurface S and the third surface 7 being of the dimension of thetransverse lateral faces of the case to be made, and the second surface6 and the fourth surface 8 having the dimension of the bottom face andcover of this case, the fifth surface 9 of small width being adapted toserve as a closing flap on the surface S. The blank 4 further compriseseight lateral surfaces 10-17 which are connected in pairs, andrespectively in the order of numbering, to each one of the surfaces 5-8on each side thereof transversely of the length of the centre strip andwhich therefore have the same dimension as the lastmentioned surfaces inthe direction of this length but a dimension in the other directionwhich is less than the height of the case. The lateral surfaces arecompletely separated from each other by suitable cuts or cutawayportions. The surfaces 12, 13, 16 and 17 or flaps correspond, by theirapplication in pairs one against the other, to the longitudinal lateralfaces of the case to be formed, the other surfaces or tabs being adaptedto overlap partially these lateral faces and having a certain cut-back(angle of their sides with respect to the axis of the blank less than90). The various surfaces 5-9 are defined from each other and from thelateral surfaces by pre-marked or pre-scored fold lines 18-29 which arenumbered in the order of the folding to be effected (except for certainsimultaneous folds in respect of which the numbers are howeverconsecutive), these lines defining respectively the surfaces 5 and 6, 6and 7, 5 and 10, 7 and 14, 6 and 12, 7 and 8, 8 and 9, 5 and 11, 7 and15, 6 and 13, 8 and 16 and 8 and 17. The ten dotted areas correspond toareas intended to receive a layer of adhesive and are disposed in pairsadjacent the ends, but with provision of a certain margin in bothdirections, of the flaps l2, l3, l6 and 17 and of the tongue portion 9.

The packing machine mainly comprises, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a mainproduction line 31 for feeding packets to be packed, forming the casesand discharging the packed packets disposed on a horizontal axis XX, anda lateral production line 32 for feeding sheets of cardboard or card 4disposed on a horizontal axis YY perpendicular to the axis XX andintersecting the line 31 at a packing station 33 for forming the cases.The main line 31 comprises upstream of the station 33, with respect tothe direction of movement of the packets, a station 34 for feedingpackets and downstream of the station 33 a belt 35" for receiving anddischarging the cases.

The packet feeding station 34 comprises essentially, as shown in FIG. 4,an introducer 36 which is movable in translation along the axis XX alongguides 37 and 38 which are fixed and integral with the frame of themachine, this movement being controlled by a drive mechanism 39. Thisintroducer comprises a carriage in the form of a tunnel in which arecapable of passing the packets which arrive from the upstream side andwhich carries two pairs of arms parallel to the axis XX, one pair 40-41extending in the downstream direction, that is to say toward the formingpart or station 33, and the other pair 42-43 extending in the upstreamdirection as shown in FIGS. 8 and 14. These arms are in the form ofsubstantially L-section members having two planar surfaces one of whichis an upper horizontal surface and the other a vertical surfaceinterconnected on an edge 44 and a curved connecting surface facing theother arm. The arms of each pair have a distance between the edges 44equal to the width of a packet l, or, more precisely, equal to the exactlength of the bottom 6 and cover 8 of the sheets of cardboard 4. Thepair of upstream arms 42-43 serve as a guide for the packets l whicharrive from the upstream end on a rolling conveyor belt 35 having anaxis XX.

The introducer also carries two finger members 45, 46 which are pivotedthereto by pins 47 and 48 and extend horizontally in the downstreamdirection, these finger members conveying in the normal position in thedownstream direction and being capable of separating so as to allow thepassage of each packet l by pivoting about the pins 47 and 48..

The line 32 feeding sheets of cardboard comprises, as shown in FIG. 5, ahopper 49 which contains a stack 50 of precut or blanked sheetssupported by members 51 and 52. Placed under this stack of sheets aretwo suction members 53 and 54 adapted to extract the sheets one by oneand place them in the horizontal plane of transfer of the sheetscontaining the axis YY. A jack or cylinder device 55 provided with apusher member 56 and extending along the axis YY is adapted to transferthe sheets to the case-forming station. Downstream of the hopper 49 withrespect to the travel of the blanks, there is disposed a series ofrollers 57 which includes lower drive rollers and is mounted to pivotabout a pin 58 at the end of an arm 59 connected to a jack or cylinderdevice 60. The line 32 also includes three adhesive applying means 61,62, 63 two of which are disposed upstream of the station 33 on each sideof the axis YY at a distance from the areas 30 of the sheets 4, and onedownstream of the station 33 and on the axis YY, these adhesive applyingmeans being carried by arms which are pivotable about pins 64, 65 and 66so as to be withdrawable so as to for example allow cleaning when themachine is out of operation.

The case-forming station 33 comprises a die 67 the bottom of which isconstituted by a movable plate 68, a punch 69 and three foldingmechanisms respectively associated with the die 67, with the plate 68and with the punch 69.

The die 67 comprises two vertical plates 70 and 71 integral with theframe of the machine and disposed at a distance below the planecontaining the axes XX and YY, both of them being parallel to the axisXX and with a distance therebetween slightly greater than the length ofthe bottom 6 of the sheet 4 whereas the transverse dimension of theplates is equal to the width of this bottom 6, as shown in FIGS. 5 and6. These two plates 70 and 71 are surmounted by two shaped members 72and 73 whose upper surface has the shape of a cylinder which is roughlyparabolic and has an axis parallel to the axis XX. The members 72 and 73are disposed outside the space between the plates so that the lower edgeof each of said upper surfaces is tangent to the upper edge and innerface of the corresponding plates. The height of the plates 70 and 71 issuch that the member 73 associated with the plate 71 disposed on thedownstream side with respect to the movement of the sheets 4 along theaxis YY is disposed just below the plane of the axes XX and YY and thatthe other member 72 is markedly lower.

The movable plate 68 is horizontal and has the dimension of the bottom 6of the sheet 4 and is slidable between the two plates 70 and 71 of thedie and mounted on the end of a rod 74 or a vertical jack or cylinderdevice 75 which is integral with the frame of the machine below the die67.

The punch 69 comprises a horizontal plate 76 having the dimensions ofthe bottom 6 of the sheet 4 and four vertical plates extending up fromthe sides of the plate 76, namely two plates 77 and 78 parallel to theaxis XX and two plates 79 and 80 parallel to the axis YY. The assemblyof the punch is carried by a rod 81 (fixed to the plate 76) of avertical jack or cylinder device'82 integral with the frame of themachine above the case-forming station.

The folding mechanism associated with the die 67 comprises, as shown inFIG. 6, four shoes 83 each one of which is carried by a rod 84 of a jackor cylinder device 85 and by a guide rod 86 parallel to the rod 84 andmounted on the body of the jack. The jacks are fixed to the frame of themachine and have their axes parallel to the axis Y-Y and disposed oneach side of the line 32 so that, in the withdrawn position of thesejacks, the shoes are located on each side of the vertical sides of thetwo plates 70 and 71 of the punch, the shoes of the jacks in axialalignment being in facing relation. The shoes have a shaped surfacehaving a vertical axis identical to that of the horizontal axis of themembers 72 and 73, their convexity facing the centre of the station 33.

The folding mechanism associated with the plate 68 comprises, as shownin FIG. 7, two T-shaped levers 87 each of which has a foot portionpivotably mounted on a pin 88 parallel to the axis YY. The two pins 88are fixed under the plate 68 and'the two levers 87 extend outwardly anddefine on their horizontal arms constituting the bar of the T-shape aconvex-shaped surface 89. The pins 88 are integral with levers 90pivoted to the end of the rod 91 of two jacks or cylinder devices 92which are pivoted to the plate 68 and disposed in planes parallel to theaxis X-)( so that the levers 87, which extend outwardly in the withdrawnposition of the jacks, are raised to a roughly vertical position whenthese jacks areextended.

The folding mechanism associated with the die 67 further comprises, asshown in FIG. 8, a cranked finger member 93 pivotable on a pin 94 whichis parallel to the axis X-X and is secured outside the upper edge of thedownstream plate 71 (with respect to the direction of movement of thesheets 4) of the punch. This pin 94 is integral with a lever 95whichis'pivoted to the end of a rod 96 of a jack or cylinder device 97connected to the plate 71 to pivot in a plane parallel to the axis YY sothat the finger member 93, which extends upwardly in the withdrawnposition of the jack, is moved over the edge of the plate 71 when thisjack is extended. I I The folding mechanism associated with the punch 65comprises, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, three levers 98, 99 and 100 whoseshape is identical to that of the levers 87, the lever 98 beingpivotable at its foot end on a horizontal pin parallel to the axis XXand the levers 99 and 100 being pivotable on pins parallel to the axisYY. These pins are disposed within the die so that the levers, which arecapable of passing through notches of similar shape formed in the walls77, 79 and 80 and presenting their arms horizontally, may swing overdownwardly about the lower edges of these three walls. The lever 98 isintegral with a gear 101 which is meshed with a toothed sector 102freely rotatable on a shaft 103 and integral with an arm 104 which ispivoted to a rod 105 of a jack or cylinder device fixed to the punch.The levers 99 and 100 are integral with shafts 106 which are driventhrough bevel gears 107 by a common shaft 108 on which the ring 101 isrotatable and on which is keyed a gear 109 which is meshed with atoothed sector 110. The latter is keyed on the shaft 103 and integralwith an arm 111 which is pivoted to a rod 112 of a jack or cylinderdevice fixed to the punch.

The machine just described operates in the following manner:

The sheets or blanks 4 are first fed to the station 33 by the action ofthe suction elements 53 and 54 which disengage the bottom sheet of thestack from its supports 51 and 52 by imparting a deflection thereto andbringing it to the plane of the axes X-X and YY then by the action ofthe pusher 56 which, moved by the jack 55, displaces the sheet until itis seized by the rollers 57 which terminate the positioning of the sheet4 on top of the members 72 and 73, the bottom 6 being exactly above theplate 68 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The shaped member 73 acts as asupport in the course of this transfer during which theadhesive-applying means 61 and 62 apply adhesive to the areas 30 of theflaps 12, l3, l6 and 17. At the end of the travel of the sheet 4, theadhesive applying means 63 applies adhesive to the two area 30 of theclosing tongue portion 9.

The forming of the case from the sheet 4 thus placed in position atstation 33 comprises the following three stages:

a. The forming of the first five folds.

b. The loading of the packet of objects 1 and advance of the stiffeningarms 40 and 41 and then the forming of the following two folds beforewithdrawal of the stiffening arms.

c. The forming of the last five folds and discharge of the case.

The first stage (a) includes three steps: the forming of the folds l8and 19, the forming of the folds 20 and 21 and the forming of the fold22.

The first step comprises the raising of the plate 68 until contact withthe sheet in the plane of the axes XX and YY and simultaneously thelowering of the punch 69 into contact with the sheet which is thusclamped between the plate and the punch, then a lowering of the plateand punch together to a lower level. In this position the folding line23 is flush with the upper edge of the plate 71 and the flap 5 extendsbeyond the upper edge of the plate 70 a distance which is roughly equalto the height of the tongue portion 9. During this descent, the part 5and the parts 7, 8 and 9 of the sheet of cardboard slide, together withthe flaps and the tabs adjacent these parts, on the shaped members 72and 73 which initiate the folds. The profile of the upper surfaces ofthe members 72 and 73 guides the lowering of the sheet into the die upondescent of the punch and plate, these surfaces constraining the sheet tofold without parasitic breaking along the fold lines 18 and 19.Meanwhile, the series of rollers 57 is urged in the upstream directionby the jack so as to clear the forming station and permit theprogressive raising of the flap 5. At a given moment, the parts 5 and 7are forced between the plates 77 and 78 of the punch and the plates and71 of the die. The folds l8 and 19 are then completely formed and thecase is in the state shown in FIG. 11.

The second step comprises, the punch remaining in position, a forwardmovement of the two downstream shoes 83 (with respect to the directionof movement of the packets 1) under the action of their jacks (FIG. 6).The tabs 10 and 14 of the sheet slide along the profile of these shoes83 until completely folded over against the wall 79 of the punch, thecurved shape of the shoes 83 causing the folds to be made progressively.The cut-back edges of these tabs avoid a scraping of the adhesive inareas 30 of the flap l2.

The third step comprises, the punch still being in position, a raisingof the lever 87 which raises the lower flap l2 (downstream flap withrespect to the direction of movement of the packets 1) against the tabs10 and 14 which were already folded over in the preceding stage and thenan application of adhesive by the mere bearing of this flap on thesetabs 10 and 14 in the region of the coated areas 30 and finally araising of the punch 77 which clears the space required for folding overthe cover 8 and the tongue portion 9 in the course of the followingstage.

The second stage (b) comprises four steps: the introduction of thepacket of objects and stiffening arms, the forming of the fold 23, theforming of the fold 24 and the withdrawal of the stiffening arms.

In the first step, the packet 1 travels between the guides 42 and 43,moves through the introducer 36, separates the finger members 45 and 46and is interposed between the stiffening arms 40 and 41. The introducer36 then travels along the guides 37 and 38 and advances the twostiffening arms 40 and 41 and, through the finger members 45 and 46, thepacket l to the station 33 into the already-formed case. The latter isthen in the position shown in FIG. 12.

The second step comprises the pivoting of the finger members 93 whichswings the cover 8 over the arm 41 (HO. 8) and thus initiates the fold19, then a lowering of the punch 77 which wedges the cover 8 between itslower plate 76 and the stiffening arms 40 and 41 which completes theforming of a clean fold 23.

The third step comprises the swinging of the lever 98 (FIGS. 9 and 10)out of the corresponding notch in the plate 77 of the punch so as tofold the closing tongue portion 9 around the stiffening arm 40 and thenthe application of adhesive by the mere bearing of the tongue portion 9on the flap 5. The case is then in the state shown in FlGS. 13 and 14.

In the fourth step, the introducer 36 moves back along the guides 37 and38 and withdraws its two stiffening arms 40 and 41 from the case whileleaving the packet 1 in the case. 1

The third and last stage (c) comprises four steps: closure of the folds25 and 26, the forming of the fold 27, the forming of the folds 28 and29 and discharge of the case.

The first step is the repetition (FIG. 6) by the homologous shoes 83 ofthe step for forming the folds and 21 of the first stage: the twoupstream tabs 11 and 15 are brought against the packet 1.

The second step brings into action the upstream lever 87 (FIG. 7) of theplate 68 so as to raise the upstream lower flap 13 against the tabs 11and 15 already brought against the packet in the preceding step, thisstep also terminating in the application of adhesive.

The third step comprises simultaneously folding down the two upper flaps16 and 17 so as to finish the case by means of the levers 99 and 100which are driven by the bevel gears 107 inside the punch 69, this stepalso terminating in the application of adhesive.

The fourth and last step comprises a raising of the punch 69 and passageof the encased or wrapped packet onto the discharging conveyor belt 35"located downstream of the station 33 on the axis XX.

it will be understood that all the operations described hereinbefore maybe and are preferably rendered automatic and perfectly synchronized.

While the pre-marking of the fold lines is essential with this machine,since it is this which permits the 10- calization of the last five foldseffected, it will be observed that one of the essential advantages ofthe machine resides in the fact that the forming of the first sevenfolds benefits from the edges embodied by rigid parts which arepreferably of steel. Thus it is possible to make these folds with allthe desirable definiteness which in itself improves the appearance andabove all the strength. The use of the stiffening arms permits providingthe cover in a single thickness and securing by mere adhesion a tongueportion for closing the case on the side.

Having now described my invention what 1 claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a method for making a packing having folded rectangular side wallportions around an object which may be incapable of affording a supportwhen folding said wall portions, and comprising starting with a precutand pre-scored blank of sheet material, folding up from a first portionof said blank at least a second blank portion and a third blank portionwhich adjoin said first blank portion so as to constitute two parallelwall portions of the packing interconnected by an intermediate wallportion of the packing, introducing the object to be packed in the thuspartly formed packing and folding remaining portions of the blank toform the finished packing; the feature that, before folding saidremaining portions of the blank, rigid support means defining twoparallel edges are introduced into said partly-formed packing andpositioned parallel to said two parallel wall portions so that saidedges are placed in adjoining relation to said two parallel wallportions to support said two parallel wall portions along fold linesabout which edges and fold lines two portions of the blank among saidremaining portions are folded, said support means being withdrawn fromthe partly-formed packing before folding the remaining portions of theblank.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least said second andthird blank portions are folded up from said first blank portion arounda punch which is held against said first blank portion and defines twoparallel edges about which edges said second and third blank portionsare folded, the punch being withdrawn from the blank before said objectis introduced, the direction in which the punch is withdrawn and thedirection in which the object to be packed is introduced beingperpendicular to each other.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the direction in which thepunch is withdrawn and the direction in which the rigid support meansare introduced are perpendicular to each other, said object beingintroduced at the same time as the introduction of said support means.

4. A machine for making a packing having folded rectangular side wallportions around an object which may be incapable of affording a supportwhen folding said wall portions, by folding a pre-cut and pre-scoredblank of sheet material, said machine having a substantially medianlongitudinal plane and comprising a frame, a punch which defines atleast four faces of a rectangular sided figure, a first and a second ofsaid faces being located on opposite sides of and parallel to saidlongitudinal plane and to each other and a third and a fourth of saidfaces being perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to saidparallel first and second faces, said punch defining at intersections ofsaid four faces edges and two adjacent trihedral corners which cornersare located on opposite sides of said plane, a device for feeding ablank in a direction parallel to said third face to a packing station atwhich station the blank is positioned to be engaged by the third face ofthe punch, a device for relatively moving the punch and the blank towardand away from each other at said station, first mechanisms for foldingat said station the blank around edges of the punch which edges arecommon to pairs of said four faces, a device for feeding an object to bepacked to said packing station, movable rigid support means, a shiftingdevice for placing said support means at said station and removing saidsupport means for said station, said support means defining at saidstation two parallel rigid edges on opposite sides of said longitudinalplane in two planes respectively containing said first face and saidsecond face of the punch, and second mechanisms comprising mechanismsfor folding the blank about said two parallel edges of said supportmeans at said station before withdrawal of said support means from saidstation by said shifting device.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device for feeding anobject feeds the object in a direction which is perpendicular to adirection in which the device for relatively moving the punch and theblank relatively moves the punch and blank.

6. A machine for making a packing having folded rectangular side wallportions around an object which may be incapable of affording a supportwhen folding said wall portions, by folding a pre-cut and pre-scoredblank of sheet material, said machine comprising a frame, a punch, adevice for feeding a blank to a packing station, at which station theblank is positioned to be engaged by the punch, a device for relativelymoving the punch and the blank toward and away from each other forbringing the punch to bear on a first portion of the blank at saidstation and for moving the punch away from the blank, first mechanismsfor folding at least a second portion of said blank and a third portionof said blank adjoining said first portion of said blank against thepunch when the punch engages the blank in said first blank portion, adevice for feeding said object to said station after the punch has beenmoved away from the blank, two rigid support means defining two paralleledges and a device for shifting said support means to said station inpositions in which said edges are in parallel planes adjacent saidsecond and third blank portionsafter said second and third blankportions are folded by said first folding mechanisms, said shiftingdevice being capable of withdrawing said support means from the blank,and second mechanisms for folding the remaining portions of the blankincluding a fourth portion of the blank adjoining said third portionwhich is folded against one of said two edges and a fifth portion whichis folded against the other of said two edges.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the shifting device shiftsthe rigid support means along an axis perpendicular to an axis alongwhich the punch and the blank are moved apart.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rigid support means arebars carried by the device for feeding an object.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the punch has five faces ofa rectangular-sided figure and the device for relatively moving thepunch and the blank relatively moves the punch and the blank in adirection perpendicular to said third face.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device for relativelymoving the punch and the blank is a jack having a rod connected to thepunch.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first foldingmechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising a die having a bottom wallparallel to said third face of the punch and two walls perpendicular tosaid bottom wall and parallel to each other.

12. A machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the bottom wall of the dieis constituted by a plate, and a rod of a jack which is perpendicular tosaid plate of the die is integral with said plate.

13. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first foldingmechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising two thrust shoes respectivelyadjacent said plane containing said first and second faces and adjacenta plane containing said fourth face and slidably mounted with respect tothe frame of the machine and jacks which are perpendicular to saidlongitudinal plane and actuate said shoes.

ll4. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first foldingmechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising a lever mounted with respectto the frame adjacent a plane containing said fourth face to pivot aboutan axis perpendicular to said longitudinal plane and jacks for actuatingthe lever.

15. A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein the second foldingmechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising a lever mounted with respectto the frame adjacent said plane containing said first face to pivotabout an axis perpendicular to said longitudinal plane and a jack foractuating the lever. I

16. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second foldingmechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising three leversmounted on thepunch to pivot about three axes, one of which axes is parallel to andadjacent said second face of the punch, the two other axes of said threeaxes being perpendicular to said longitudinal plane, and jacks foractuating the levers.

17. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second foldingmechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising two thrust shoes contained ina plane on an opposite a side of the punch to a plane containing saidfourth face and slidably mounted with respect to the frame of themachine and jacks which are perpendicular to said longitudinal plane foractuating the shoes.

18. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second foldingmechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising a lever mounted relative tothe frame adjacent a plane on an opposite side of the punch to a planecontaining said fourth face to pivot about an axis perpendicular to saidlongitudinal plane and jacks for actuating the lever.

19. A machine as claimed in claim 14, wherein the bottom wall of the dieis constituted by a plate, and a rod of a jack which is perpendicular tosaid plate of the die is integral with said plate, and said lever ismounted to pivot on said plate of the die.

20. A machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first foldingmechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising a die having a bottom wallparallel to said third face of the punch and two walls perpendicular tosaid bottom wall and parallel to each other, said lever being pivotablymounted on one of the walls of the die.

* f i l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3, 851,439 Dated December 3, 1974 Inventor(s) Marcel Octave PILLON It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading:

The Assignees name was misspelled, should read.

--Pont-A-Mousson S.A. and Societe Des Emballages Moules Sem--.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of .:':pri]. 1975.

Attest:

Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks RUTH C. I'L TSOE'J zlttestingOfficer F ORM PC3-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 0.5 GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE: 69 93 o

1. In a method for making a packing having folded rectangular side wallportions around an object which may be incapable of affording a supportwhen folding said wall portions, and comprising starting with a pre-cutand pre-scored blank of sheet material, folding up from a first portionof said blank at least a second blank portion and a third blank portionwhich adjoin said first blank portion so as to constitute two parallelwall portions of the packing interconnected by an intermediate wallportion of the packing, introducing the object to be packed in the thuspartly formed packing and folding remaining portions of the blank toform the finished packing; the feature that, before folding saidremaining portions of the blank, rigid support means defining twoparallel edges are introduced into said partlyformed packing andpositioned parallel to said two parallel wall portions so that saidedges are placed in adjoining relation to said two parallel wallportions to support said two parallel wall portions along fold linesabout which edges and fold lines two portions of the blank among saidremaining portions are folded, said support means being withdrawn fromthe partly-formed packing before folding the remaining portions of theblank.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least said secondand third blank portions are folded up from said first blank portionaround a punch which is held against said first blank portion anddefines two parallel edges about which edges said second and third blankportions are folded, the punch being withdrawn from the blank beforesaid object is introduced, the direction in which the punch is withdrawnand the direction in which the object to be packed is introduced beingperpendicular to each other.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 2, whereinthe direction in which the punch is withdrawn and the direction in whichthe rigid support means are introduced are perpendicular to each other,said Object being introduced at the same time as the introduction ofsaid support means.
 4. A machine for making a packing having foldedrectangular side wall portions around an object which may be incapableof affording a support when folding said wall portions, by folding apre-cut and pre-scored blank of sheet material, said machine having asubstantially median longitudinal plane and comprising a frame, a punchwhich defines at least four faces of a rectangular sided figure, a firstand a second of said faces being located on opposite sides of andparallel to said longitudinal plane and to each other and a third and afourth of said faces being perpendicular to each other and perpendicularto said parallel first and second faces, said punch defining atintersections of said four faces edges and two adjacent trihedralcorners which corners are located on opposite sides of said plane, adevice for feeding a blank in a direction parallel to said third face toa packing station at which station the blank is positioned to be engagedby the third face of the punch, a device for relatively moving the punchand the blank toward and away from each other at said station, firstmechanisms for folding at said station the blank around edges of thepunch which edges are common to pairs of said four faces, a device forfeeding an object to be packed to said packing station, movable rigidsupport means, a shifting device for placing said support means at saidstation and removing said support means for said station, said supportmeans defining at said station two parallel rigid edges on oppositesides of said longitudinal plane in two planes respectively containingsaid first face and said second face of the punch, and second mechanismscomprising mechanisms for folding the blank about said two paralleledges of said support means at said station before withdrawal of saidsupport means from said station by said shifting device.
 5. A machine asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the device for feeding an object feeds theobject in a direction which is perpendicular to a direction in which thedevice for relatively moving the punch and the blank relatively movesthe punch and blank.
 6. A machine for making a packing having foldedrectangular side wall portions around an object which may be incapableof affording a support when folding said wall portions, by folding apre-cut and pre-scored blank of sheet material, said machine comprisinga frame, a punch, a device for feeding a blank to a packing station, atwhich station the blank is positioned to be engaged by the punch, adevice for relatively moving the punch and the blank toward and awayfrom each other for bringing the punch to bear on a first portion of theblank at said station and for moving the punch away from the blank,first mechanisms for folding at least a second portion of said blank anda third portion of said blank adjoining said first portion of said blankagainst the punch when the punch engages the blank in said first blankportion, a device for feeding said object to said station after thepunch has been moved away from the blank, two rigid support meansdefining two parallel edges and a device for shifting said support meansto said station in positions in which said edges are in parallel planesadjacent said second and third blank portions after said second andthird blank portions are folded by said first folding mechanisms, saidshifting device being capable of withdrawing said support means from theblank, and second mechanisms for folding the remaining portions of theblank including a fourth portion of the blank adjoining said thirdportion which is folded against one of said two edges and a fifthportion which is folded against the other of said two edges.
 7. Amachine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the shifting device shifts therigid support means along an axis perpendicular to an axis along whichthe punch and the blank are moved apart.
 8. A machine as claimed inclaim 6, wherein the rigid support means Are bars carried by the devicefor feeding an object.
 9. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein thepunch has five faces of a rectangular-sided figure and the device forrelatively moving the punch and the blank relatively moves the punch andthe blank in a direction perpendicular to said third face.
 10. A machineas claimed in claim 4, wherein the device for relatively moving thepunch and the blank is a jack having a rod connected to the punch.
 11. Amachine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first folding mechanismscomprise a mechanism comprising a die having a bottom wall parallel tosaid third face of the punch and two walls perpendicular to said bottomwall and parallel to each other.
 12. A machine as claimed in claim 11,wherein the bottom wall of the die is constituted by a plate, and a rodof a jack which is perpendicular to said plate of the die is integralwith said plate.
 13. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the firstfolding mechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising two thrust shoesrespectively adjacent said plane containing said first and second facesand adjacent a plane containing said fourth face and slidably mountedwith respect to the frame of the machine and jacks which areperpendicular to said longitudinal plane and actuate said shoes.
 14. Amachine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first folding mechanismscomprise a mechanism comprising a lever mounted with respect to theframe adjacent a plane containing said fourth face to pivot about anaxis perpendicular to said longitudinal plane and jacks for actuatingthe lever.
 15. A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein the secondfolding mechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising a lever mounted withrespect to the frame adjacent said plane containing said first face topivot about an axis perpendicular to said longitudinal plane and a jackfor actuating the lever.
 16. A machine as claimed in claim 4, whereinthe second folding mechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising threelevers mounted on the punch to pivot about three axes, one of which axesis parallel to and adjacent said second face of the punch, the two otheraxes of said three axes being perpendicular to said longitudinal plane,and jacks for actuating the levers.
 17. A machine as claimed in claim 4,wherein the second folding mechanisms comprise a mechanism comprisingtwo thrust shoes contained in a plane on an opposite a side of the punchto a plane containing said fourth face and slidably mounted with respectto the frame of the machine and jacks which are perpendicular to saidlongitudinal plane for actuating the shoes.
 18. A machine as claimed inclaim 4, wherein the second folding mechanisms comprise a mechanismcomprising a lever mounted relative to the frame adjacent a plane on anopposite side of the punch to a plane containing said fourth face topivot about an axis perpendicular to said longitudinal plane and jacksfor actuating the lever.
 19. A machine as claimed in claim 14, whereinthe bottom wall of the die is constituted by a plate, and a rod of ajack which is perpendicular to said plate of the die is integral withsaid plate, and said lever is mounted to pivot on said plate of the die.20. A machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first foldingmechanisms comprise a mechanism comprising a die having a bottom wallparallel to said third face of the punch and two walls perpendicular tosaid bottom wall and parallel to each other, said lever being pivotablymounted on one of the walls of the die.